Thanks for the excellent feature, “US-India-Nepal alliance: Countering China” (THT, September 28, Page 8) by Umesh K. Bhattarai. Global geopolitics and selfish race to control and counter one another is an integral part of human civilization from time immemorial. Great global powers of our time such as the US, India, China or Russia is no different from that historical narrative. However, I sincerely believe that it is important for all sovereign nations to develop an independent foreign policy looking for the long-term economic, security and diplomatic interests of her people and her society. The idea is not to get entangled in any unwanted covert geopolitical games and suffer like nations such as Afghanistan or Pakistan. Nepal should look at her ties with the US and India as being separate from her ties with China and therefore pursue an independent line. Mixing these together is not in the long-term interests of Nepal. The nation needs to develop infrastructure and cater to millions of poor in her remote rural districts with distinct objectives of achieving sustainable socio-economic development and political stability. For that, Nepal needs the positive assistance of all the major global powers like the US, India and China. Saikat Kumar Basu, Canada Plastic ban Although the government has put a strict ban on using plastics, nothing effective has happened so far for the fact that there has been rampant use of plastics. Sellers as well as buyers are found flouting the rule. It’s a well-known fact that plastic is one such material which can never be recycled and it increases environmental pollution. Besides, when we burn plastics, they are certain to give immediate rise to global warming. Hence the government must do something special when it comes to putting a permanent ban on the use of plastic bags. Pratik Shrestha, Baneshwor Similarities This has reference to “Hurricane Matthew strengthens, threatening US” (THT, Page 9, Oct 7). There are many similarities between Haiti and Nepal. Haiti is an accursed country - politically, economically and naturally. We are not blessed either. Haiti is one of the poorest or perhaps the poorest in the Western hemisphere. We are the Haiti of the Eastern hemisphere. Haitians seem to be living on the edge; so do our people. There is desperation and desolation in Haiti; Nepal too is suffering from similar ailments. Their infrastructure is basic and battered, and so is ours. Haitian victims of 2010 quakes are still living in tents, so are our people who suffered from the 2015 major quake and its aftershocks. Politically, too, we are akin to each other. They had Papa and Baby Doc and our politicians are endowed with their temperament, wear and looks. There is one major difference between the two poorest countries on the planet. Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu